The Democratic Party is shifting its approach to fighting against Donald Trump’s politics, with a new generation of leaders embracing a more aggressive and confrontational strategy. According to Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, “This is not the Democratic party of your grandfather, which would bring a pencil to the knife fight. This is a new Democratic party. We’re bringing a knife to a knife fight, and we are going to fight fire with fire.”
The trigger for this shift is Trump’s push to gerrymander congressional maps to benefit Republicans, particularly in Texas, where the party has proposed new maps aimed at flipping five Democratic-held seats. Democrats are fighting back, with state legislators from Texas fleeing their home state to deny Republicans a quorum and prevent a vote on the proposed new map.
Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, has declared his intent to push redistricting in his state to neutralize Republican map-rigging. “Donald Trump is trying to steal the 2026 election. We cannot sit back and watch this happen,” Newsom said. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and New York Governor Kathy Hochul have also expressed their willingness to engage in redistricting efforts.
Pritzker denounced Trump as a “cheater” and said, “As far as I’m concerned, everything is on the table.” Hochul, standing with six Texas Democrats who sought refuge in New York, told reporters, “I’m tired of fighting this fight with my hand tied behind my back. We are at war and that’s why the gloves are off – and I say bring it on.”
Eric Holder, a former attorney general under President Barack Obama, has changed his position on gerrymandering. He now believes that Democrats should respond with their own redistricting efforts. “What’s driving Democrats is, I think, a legitimate response. I mean, it’s like the Germans have invaded France. Are you going to just say, ‘Well, we’re against war and we’re for the resolution of disputes in a peaceful way’?” Holder said.
Jasmine Crockett, a congresswoman from Texas, embodies the new generation of Democrats who are willing to fight back against Republican tactics. “They have taken our kindness for weakness,” she said. “Democrats are very much wanting to be fair… How can we fight when we tie our own hands behind our backs?”
Crockett believes that the Democratic base is crying out for the party to be more bold-faced. “People are OK with you not having all the answers, but I don’t think that people are OK with you not being willing to fight on their behalf,” she said.
The battle over gerrymandering has raised questions about the future of democracy in the United States. Norm Eisen, a lawyer and co-founder of Democracy Defenders Action, said, “I believe we have no choice now but to respond with massive pro-democracy force to these autocratic manoeuvres by Trump and his enablers in Texas.”
The fight is not just about winning or losing elections but about preserving the integrity of democratic institutions. As Simon Rosenberg, a Democratic strategist, put it, “We’re in a fight for the future of our country and for our democracy… Not fighting means that you’re conceding and that you’re obeying in advance.”